A simple quotation that made me think of Gwenners

"I loved the late Gilda Radner. I love Carol Burnett and Lily Tomlin."
Tracey Ullman

Me too. Me too.

Heroes & Spicy Gumbo makin' Monday suck less

Boy-o was I tired from this weekend. I really could have used a weekend from the weekend, but alas, Monday still came. Stupid Monday. Rehearsals are going to kick into high gear this week. For those of you who told me "learn your damn lines bitch" or something along those lines, you'll be glad to know that I spent an hour at the gym reciting evil scientist banter. It really worked. I am about two pages from memorized. Of course that will all be thrown out the window when I start rehearsing with humans, and not ellipticals, but most of the words are in my brain and we've still got time. Woot woot.

Right now, I'm eating a grilled chicken breast with some spicy chorizo and okra gumbo that I made, while watching my favorite show Heroes. Holla! Okay, it's back on, be back in a second. Ohhhhhhhhh suspenseful. I hope the cheerleader isn't dead (even though I know she isn't because her thing is rapid regeneration). At least I'm not a comic book nerd with a blog. Oy. Okay, time for more gumbo.

What did you all do tonight?

Okay, I guess that's it for the post. Heroes is back on and it's time to dig into my seconds. I think I'm going to watch the Oprah thing after this. I'll try to update you on rehearsal on Wednesday.

DFN (Doodle for Now)

The Year of Doodle (the actor)

Hi everyone. I just wanted to post a thanks for your believing in me. That support system, combined with audition advice has built a confident performer. I gush because I just got cast in the Whirled Peas Production of Cloud Nine. I will be playing Betty/Edward and I could not be more thrilled. Basically as soon as Superman closes, I will go into rehearsals for this and that freaking rocks, I must say. I can't wait for you to see my crazy take on Dr. Sedgwick in Superman and then see me play a British woman and then her grown son in Cloud Nine. I had be is versatile, and I do mean sexually, I mean I don't, I mean I do. Ohhh and if for some reason a MAC member shows up here, I love you and would greatly appreciate your voting for the Parodivas on the prelim-MAC Awards ballot for Best Comedy Duo or Group! We do provide bribes, just name your fee. And if you yourself are on the prelim ballot and trying to make it to full fledged MAC nominee, the Parodivas accept chocolate covered cash.

TTFN & Doodle!

A letter to DD

Dear Doodle’s Diary,

Yesterday I had a follow-up doctor's appointment to go over the blood work that I had done a few weeks ago. I am happy to tell you, dear diary, that everything is a-okay with doodle, even his liver. I thought that little guy must’ve packed his bags and asked his friend Pancreas to take over, years ago (namely when doodle was living on a bus and in glorified motels on Singin’), but he apparently is still working. So, I’d like to give a shout out to the ying to my yang, my liver. Thanks buddy. I couldn’t do it without you. Moving right along. There is one test that is pending, but hopefully I’ll have that answer soon and my hypochondriacally crazed mind can sleep at night. I may even choose to join it. Who knows? The world is my oyster, dear diary, and I’m going to slurp it down with a shot of tobasco. Yum-o. Since I seem to be in a thankful mood, thanks to Sir Willio for recommending my new doctor. He’s really great and I feel I can tell him anything which freaking rocks. ROCKS. Dear diary, I also want to thank Darladiva for being my agent/acting coach of late. Because of her I am working in a great show and I have the confidence to nail my call back for Cloud 9 tonight. So, dear diary, if you wouldn’t mind letting her know, I’d be appreciative. As you know, dd, perspective is the doodle of 2007. And I’m finding that it could really get the chance to shine. REALLY. Anxiously waiting in antici-------------------------------------------------------------------pation. What else did I want to tell you dd? My god, if I don’t start seeing results from counting my calories and going to the gym, somebody gonna get hurt. I wish I could go to the gym more, but because of rehearsals and life, it’s turning out to be 3 times a week at the most. I want to go crazy and run for 2 hours, but I just can’t. I can’t get past the 40 minute mark. I can do it so easily when I’m with my gym bunnies, I mean buddies, I mean bunnies. Sigh. What’s a doodle to do(dle) dd(le)? WHAT? I need to finish learning my lines. I am procrastinating and I don’t know why. I guess I should be doing that instead of writing to you dd, but I know you’ve missed me and I know your friends Satellite and Pause and A Chuisle miss you. Anyhoo, I guess that’s all for now dd. It’s been nice catching up with you again.

Yours,
Doodle

Let's bring on the men, a post about relationships...ew

I had a dream about getting back together with let’s call him “Bart” last night. It was such a short and crappy relationship (4 months) I don’t know why I fantasize (in dreams or otherwise) about what it would be like to get back with him. Perhaps it’s because it ended abruptly and was out of my control. Aha, I think that’s it exactly. I want to get the control back and I don’t have the means to do so. Even if it is to get the control and then finish the relationship on my terms. Hmmm. I’d prefer not to call it a relationship, but then that puts my grand total for life at 3 long term relationships. 3 men who have been on the receiving end of “I love you” from my lips. I can’t help wondering what the right guy (forever or for right now) is supposed to be. These three fellows were all so different; it’s hard to even pinpoint anything that connects them except for me. There was something inherently sweet about each of them that gradually went away completely. What does that mean? I turn sweet guys into jerks, by telling them I love them? Great. Might as well be a black widow. At least she gets a nice meal. What’ve I got to show for this? Well, I have a rambling post on my blog to show for it. That’s neat. So, since we like polling people and quizzing them and forcing them to flesh out our blogs with words of their own…I ASK OF YOU: what attributes are most important to be the next companion to Doodle? I’ll get us started:
-Get’s my sense of humor and laughs, often
-Knows how to carry a martini “across a crowded room”
-Only uses “ya’ll” if referenced in a knock knock joke, ie.

Doodle's Answers

What does the B really stand for?
Bull

What is my favorite color?
Purple

I should have been born with what color hair?
Red

My stepfather is my mom's fourth husband.

My brother is named Shane.

My father is a chainsaw carver.

What is my best friend's favorite color?
Pink

What did I do as a child when I got really upset?
Climb into the top of my closet for a cry (yes, my mother had to ask me to stop crying and come out of the closet).

When I was ten I lived in what state?
Confusion. No really, Florida

What's my imaginary yorkie's name?
Cunty (this is a bit of a trick question because she has a twin brother named Cocky, but we're not sure where he is).

Doodle Quiz

Create your own Friend Quiz here

Everyone else is posting, so must I

I have nothing to add. I keep meaning to take a look at my lines but I keep getting distracted. Looking forward to dinner, and show, and drinks, and drinks, and drinks with women this evening. I just booked an audition for Cloud 9 for Monday evening. I LOVE THAT PLAY! I did a piece from it for KCACTF (Kennedy Center Acting CTF) my Freshman year of college. An "event" during that trip inspired the first play I wrote. Woo. Sue Falls has yet to see the stage, but maybe some day. Wow, this is turning out to be the drag queeniest post and I didn't even mean for that to happen. I need to run out to get something to eat. I'm going to strap on my stilettos and put on my winter boa and head out into the wintry wonderland (grayish brown snow). What ever shall I return with? Probably some sort of soup. Goodness I AM SO INTERESTING.

Haiku-dle from Doodle

6
Back brace breaking me
Itchy scratching never stops
Mother rocks to sleep

11
Eleventh birthday
I’m feeling fat by the lake
Friends never notice

Super Doodle: Episode 3

Last night the entire cast was called because we were going to learn the music for the BIG ACT 1 FINALE/ PRODUCTION NUMBER called It’s Super Nice. Then, afterwards we would be learning the choreography. Keep in mind the stage is probably 12 feet by 8 feet, give or take. This number really features our 6 ensemble members, so we didn’t have to learn too much music. The choreographer called the girl ensemble in first, and then the boy ensemble to work the dancety-ness, we were to be added later. So, we worked our solos, duets, ballet combinations (just me) with Music McDirector. The beginning of this one song I do is so weird and recitative-y (talk-sing-y for Darladiva) that I just could not seem to get it. I talk for a measure then sing for a measure, back to talking, and the rhythm is weird and people are watching and listening and judging (in my head) and so it was frustrating. I didn’t get it til a bit later when I suddenly had a break from the rest of the cast (I’ll elucidate in a moment). Okay, blah blah, we sang our songs, then went into the dance room. It is SO CUTE (the dance, not the room, the room is fine). Very 60’s. Corey O’Grapher started to fill us into the back behind the adorable dancers; he called up that guy, then that girl, this the other chick, and that one fellow, and then there was just me, poor little Dr. left. Anyhoo, it turns out I don’t have to dance. Darn. You’ll see what I do have to do when you see the show. Let’s just say the director and producer missed most of the choreography. Eh hem. I’ll tone it down of course, because I am a GIVER. Anyhoo, the rest of the cast continued learning the dance, etc and I got to go back and work with Music McDirector on my songs with no one else in the room. Perfect. I finally got them down. Yay! That’s that for now. Looking forward to having tonight off. Oh, and I got my cd of the show in the mail yesterday. Actually, someone brought the package over to the owner of The Office, who was standing near my desk and said, “here you go a cd came for you.” He opened it and said, “oh it’s a bird it’s a plane it’s super..., uh Jason I’m so sorry I think this is for you. Sorry to have opened your mail.” “Oh that’s okay.” Whatevs.

Doodiful Girls

Last night Crickpot and I saw Follies at City Center. It was such a great night. I was most excited to see Victoria Clark while Crickpot was stoked to see Donna Murphy. Is that gayer than butt sex? The show started and every time someone made an entrance they were given huge entrance applause. I honestly found this a bit tiring, but I felt, as the other 900 pabillion people must have, that these people are all veterans of the stage and so deserve our praise (even though we couldn’t see which veteran was which because we were sitting atop an oddly shaped chandelier (or close enough)). The music is so wonderful. That was all I was really familiar with prior to last night. I knew the basic story that all these actors from the Follies come together so many years later into a theatre that is populated by ghosts of their former selves. As Crickpot pointed out, the story is really great. It is such a “journey.”

Victoria Clark’s portrayal of Sally was superb. She is a fabulous actress and if she wasn’t already a mommy I’d offer to have her babies. Her delivery of In Buddy’s Eyes was divine. I wish I had remembered my opera glasses so that I could have seen her expressions more closely, but even from where we were (atop chandelier) we still got it. Yum.

The French chica (I should have said mademoiselle) was hilarious with her rendition of Ah, Paris! Tres bon!

Mimi Hines’ Broadway Baby was everything it should be.

Christine Baranski was just sort of off in I’m Still Here. Sad face.

Victor Garber was okay, but when he and Victoria (yes we’re on a first name basis (now)) sang the Act 2 closing number Too Many Mornings, my heart sunk into the floor and then jumped to the ceiling as the curtain fell.

Donna Murphy is more royal than purple. Could I Leave You? was moving and strong and funny and brilliantly executed.

FUN TIMES! Thanks Crickpot for being the bestest date ever.

Hats off,
Here they come, those
Doodiful girls.
That's what
You've been waiting for.

An open letter to "anonymous"

From my dear friend Gwenners:

Oh, no. Sooner or later this is bound to happen. A comment I made on Doodle's blog yesterday was taken in a way that I didn't intend. Upon reading it again, I can see how it could be interpreted in the way that 'anonymous' took it.

I said "talking like made about finding a composer/piano player who cannot sing" - first of all, I said "made" when I meant "mad" (oops, I think I was still drunk!) and secondly, if 'anonymous' is who I think it is, I offended the person that I was so enthralled with during the performance of "At Least It's Pink" on Friday night at Ars Nova.

Let me explain: we saw said show on Friday night. LOVED SAID SHOW. The four of us that attended are performers/writers/singers/improvers who could not shut UP after said show was over. We talked about how wonderfully the show was set up, how we loved the quirks, surprises, skill of not only Bridget, but of someone like the composer of the show, who we think is a BRILLIANT musician/composer.

I cannot play the piano; I am always searching for a piano player/composer/music director that has the kind of skill Kenny Mellman does. I am always so astonished when someone like Mr. Mellman generously takes a 'sideseat' to a singer, especially when he is himself a singer (which we saw/heard on Friday night). I said to Doodle, "I need to find a composer/piano player who cannot sing so they won't discover they can do what I do on their OWN and leave me!" and we all agreed that yes, we need to find a musician that NEEDS the singer. Kenny Mellman needs no one to sing a song. He is capable of doing that completely on his own. Unless I want to sing acapella (which I don't), I NEED a piano player. And any singer worth a grain of salt will tell you just how HARD a good one is to find.

'Anonymous', I am sorry....from the bottom of my crispy (yet pink inside) heart.

Umm.

Doodle likes Indian "food"? What kind of food do they serve in Australia?

All the girls had such a fun time last night seeing At Least It's Pink. Then the one or ten drinks after were pretty good too. I fell at some point. Fun times!

Dead babies. Two for one special.

Doodle.

Superdoodle: Episode 2-dle

Last night we had a blocking rehearsal with the principals and supplemental music rehearsal during our “down” time. I ain’t really gots no down time. A few snippets here and there. This is a lovely problem to have. I must say. The blocking was pretty basic since we’re performing in a very small space. VERY SMALL. But I think that makes it more fun and challenging. I got a few comments like, “I hope you’re great at learning lines.” Isn’t that my job? At least part of it. Anyhoo, I thought that a bit strange, but whatevs. The show is odd, but it’s going to be fun for us and for the audience, I think. I ordered the cd, so I can obsess over it on my walks to and from work and while cardio-ing at the gym. I plan on curling up with the script tomorrow and trying to get a big chunk of dialogue memorized. I wish the cd would come today, but I think it is scheduled to arrive on Monday. Sigh. At least I’ll have Monday night to listen to it before Episode 3 on Tuesday.

The sitcom I’ve been working on is going okay although Tuesday was a bit rough. After I got through that though, it seemed to smooth out. Blah blah blah.

Tonight I am seeing At Least It’s Pink, with Darladiva, Gwenners, and Crickpot. I AM SO EXCITED!! We’re having drinks before…and after…and probably during. It is a bawdy cabaret featuring a big brassy blonde in a bustier. Hott. No plans for Saturday, except studying lines and the gym, and then Darladiva and I have an audition on Sunday, after which I hope we’ll have some brunchedy goodness somewhere. I also need to do laundry and clean the mess that is my apartment. I’m seriously considering hiring someone because I don’t have the motivation or time to do it. Thoughts?

Have a HOTT weekend everyone! Doodle!!!!!

Thursdoodle: Darladiva inspires!

Darladiva has written another zinger of an article on Broowaha.com. Check it out and then rate her so someone will take notice and pay her so she can call herself a writer judgment-free. She talks about that diggiest of party-going questions, “what do you do?” I have a new response, “I’m a soul-seller. I only have one client right now, but I’m looking to expand my client base. Are YOU interested in giving me your soul? I can guarantee you a nice bonus come Tree Time.” “We’re Executive Assistants!” Darladiva and I piped to an adorable waiter in an adorable purple polo at this healthy lunch spot we happened upon during a shopping lunch. He was so genuinely interested, we had to quickly dissuade him and let him know we wanted nothing more than for cute EA’s to come into our healthy lunch spot, where we’d be the adorable waiters wearing aforementioned adorable purple polos. Alas, Darladiva and I desperately need and enjoy our health benefits that we went too too many years without. Dental appointments should not invoke panic attacks for reasons other than the fact that dentists can be freakishly scary. I should be scared of the dentist and his rusty tools, not the fact that I am poor and will never be able to afford whatever it is that is wrong up in my mouth. I look back in nostalgic terror when I think of the time I heard those horrid horrid words, ROOT CANAL!! (insert creepy-angry sound effect). And I heard those words days before I was to debut a solo cabaret. I couldn't put it off any longer. I am STILL paying off the credit card I have lovingly deemed Dental Debbie Debt Card. Bitch. I hate that whore and the interest rate she rode in on. Alas, being a soul-seller, I have seriously attacked my debt due to the nice bonus that arrived in my (still) struggling bank account around Tree Time. I do see freedom from this little monetary phase in my (seemingly) former artistic life. I do. The day will come when at a party on the Upper East Whatever I will gladly announce to that bimbette of an Accounts Payable clerk who is mistakenly dating my actor friend, “I AM A GYPSY!!!” And I do mean Rose Lee.

Super Doodle: 1st Episode

Last night was the first rehearsal/read-through of It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s Superman in which doodle’s truly will be playing the villain Dr. Abner Sedgwick, which ya’ll already had be know. Despite a way too warm room (and we all know how much doodle’s truly sweats when he’s a workin’), it was a very fun evening. Everyone is very fun and funny and “whatte whatte whatte.” We sing that at some point in the finale. We went through the entire script marking all of the cuts that Mr. Director Man had judiciously made to get the show from about 2 hours down to 90 minutes. There are some more cuts to follow that are yet to be finalized. We made it through, just reading the lines, no music, with notes about cuts in about 80 minutes or so. Ummmm, I have some work to do. I have some wordy wordy dialogue that I am excited to take on, but it’s gonna take some work. Who wants to run lines????? Then we learned the music for one of the big ensemble numbers “It's Superman,” and then we learned the finale. Woot woot! Tomorrow the principals are rehearsing and I believe Mr. Director Man said we are going to block the entire show and learn music in our down time. This is going to be a whirlwind process. 5 weeks!

Dood, can Doodle doo it? Stay tooned…

Company Logo and Name

Darladiva made me. Bent Proscenium

The end of 5:59

Angry void is head-throbbing
Numb and staring at screen.
Typing with detached fingers,
Writing thoughts in the air.
Life is this long hallway
Leading into unknown sky.
I’m always floating in dreams
Desperate to re-ground myself.
Fancies fester freely
But never touch down.
The clouds are in my head
Fluffily frosting my thoughts.
Hoping for answers
To too many questions
I sigh and slink under the desk.
Here I hide from it
Clueless as to what that means.
I hear the tick-talk of the clock
Waiting for the end of 5:59.
Rinse and repeat
Until death do us part
I am not my job.

Friday's wisdom (influenced by 3 margaritas)

Gwenners and I saw All that I will Ever Be at New York Theatre Workshop on Friday night. Thanks to Flying Figs for the free tickets! This is a new play by Alan Ball, the creator of Six Feet Under, which she and I both had be adore. It was a lovely little hustler play with some great lines. Most notably, an older gentleman (played beautifully by David Margulies) says to the main character/hustler (played hottily by Peter Macdisi) "People don't pay your kind for sex, they pay you to leave." Something along those lines (sorryAlan if I paraphrased). Yes, Alanand I are on a first name basis; he just doesn't know it yet. Back to that line. It caused such a wonderful reaction in the audience. Little gasps, and ohs and oohs. Poignant. Michael rocks. The play was quite enjoyable and had a little twist in tone at the end which worked well. Patch Darragh played several characters, all of whom were so different it was difficult at first to realize it was the same chap. Bravo Patch. Bravo! Anyhoo, after the play, Gwenners and I met Crickpot for some booze and buckets of chips (and salsa). It was a lovely little time, and the moral of the story as muttered by doodle's truly:

"I'm all for sexy tofu. It's like women. I'm not going to eat it, but I'm glad it's there."

It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s Doodleman OR Darladiva is my agent

Soooooooo, on Wednesday Darladiva insisted I come along with her to her audition for It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s Superman. This little flop musical is being presented by the Opening Doors Theatre Company. Through networking in the cabaret world, we are friends with Hector Coris who is their associate artistic director/marketing guru, I think. Sooo, why not accompany her and see if maybe they can put me in, since I didn’t have an appointment? And since every time Darladiva brings me along on an audition and I’m not necessarily prepared and my heart isn’t set to be broken, I typically give a pretty good audition. It seems that this still rings true, even though I can’t remember the last audition I had. After a bit of waiting, I went in and sang and they asked me to come back tomorrow to read for Dr. Abner Sedgwick, the mad scientist. Of course. I rushed home to download the cast album from iTunes so I could learn this fellow’s song(s) in case they wanted me to sing them. No such luck. I guess iTunes hasn’t gotten around to uploading flop musicals onto their site. Well, the next night I headed over to my callback and looked over the sides. This fellow is eccentric and crazy and has 5 Chinese henchmen named Ling. I mean really. Of the five fellows (not Chinese) who were auditioning for the role, I was by far the youngest. Surprise. Anyhoo, they kept me for over two hours reading with this guy, reading with that guy, etc etc blah blah. All in all it was a great audition, I had them laughing, and I felt satisfied with what I had done. Semi-long story short, doodle’s truly will be playing the role of Dr. Abner Sedgwick in It’s a bird…it’s a plane…it’s Superman! Holla! Thanks Darladiva.

In other news, I’m wearing a bright red shirt today and you’d think by the looks I’m getting it has pictures of dead babies on it or something. Gawd. I don’t wear that shirt to work. I’m decent. Geez.

Doodle